Schatz gets Energy, Commerce assignments

By Dan Berman

01/04/13 05:09 PM EST

Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz will sit on the Senate Energy, Commerce and Indian Affairs panels in the 113th Congress.

Schatz, who was appointed in late December to fill the seat of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), now has a few days’ worth of seniority over the freshman senators elected in November and seated Thursday as the 113th Congress began. As such, that led to some maneuvering from the list of committee assignments released last month.

Schatz takes the Energy and Natural Resources Committee spot that was previously slated for fellow Hawaii Democrat Mazie Hirono, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office announced Friday. He will also take over Inouye’s seats on the Commerce and Indian Affairs committees.

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) will take over the vacant seat on the Appropriations Committee left by Inouye’s passing. Hirono will join the Armed Services, Judiciary and Veterans’ Affairs panels.